| Life Sciences |
| Genetics & Genomics |
| Science |
| Evolution |
| Biology |
| Biological Diversity |
Summary
Summary
The important role that randomness plays in evolutionary change
John Tyler Bonner, one of our most distinguished and insightful biologists, here challenges a central tenet of evolutionary biology. In this concise, elegantly written book, he makes the bold and provocative claim that some biological diversity may be explained by something other than natural selection.
With his customary wit and accessible style, Bonner makes an argument for the underappreciated role that randomness--or chance--plays in evolution. Due to the tremendous and enduring influence of Darwin's natural selection, the importance of randomness has been to some extent overshadowed. Bonner shows how the effects of randomness differ for organisms of different sizes, and how the smaller an organism is, the more likely it is that morphological differences will be random and selection may not be involved to any degree. He traces the increase in size and complexity of organisms over geological time, and looks at the varying significance of randomness at different size levels, from microorganisms to large mammals. Bonner also discusses how sexual cycles vary depending on size and complexity, and how the trend away from randomness in higher forms has even been reversed in some social organisms.
Certain to provoke lively discussion, Randomness in Evolution is a book that may fundamentally change our understanding of evolution and the history of life.
Reviews (1)
Choice Review
Bonner (emer., Princeton; Why Size Matters, CH, May'07, 44-5052) indicates in the acknowledgments section that some readers may consider his book "controversial." However, he provides a well-written, well-documented collection of evidence suggesting randomness as a primary engine behind natural selection. This has been self-evident since Darwin's time, and should no longer produce controversy. More interesting is Bonner's suggestion that an organism's size is a factor in randomness. While not really new, his well-done approach is certainly convincing. The author's own research on slime molds bears out his thesis nicely. Clearly, the greater an organism's size, the greater the opportunity for errors to occur from random events. If this happens early in development, it is probably fatal; if it happens much later, it might provide desirable/advantageous change. Equally an issue is that larger organisms take longer to reach independence. Bonner could have addressed the role of chance in the evolution of populations consisting of small groups such as hominids, where the loss of one individual could change the future of the species. This is an excellent essay, valuable to a wide audience. Evolution is an important, timely topic, making Bonner's work a worthy contribution. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general audiences. F. W. Yow emeritus, Kenyon College
